Best Time to Drive from Oakland to Santa Clara

Right now (2:21 pm PST): about 57 minutes via I-880 South, usually 55 at this time.

Only 52% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Oakland to Santa Clara by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	46	66	75	67	55	50	48	47	52	53	56	60	50	42	40	40
Tue	39	48	74	85	74	59	51	48	46	53	54	59	64	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	47	76	82	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	67	59	47	40	40
Thu	39	48	73	82	72	59	52	48	47	54	56	63	67	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	45	54	56	53	49	48	48	49	55	58	63	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	48	48	49	49	51	51	49	45	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Oakland to Santa Clara (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 85 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Oakland (Broadway) to central Santa Clara (Lincoln Street) along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Oakland to Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Oakland to Santa Clara?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 85 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 85 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (35 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Oakland to Santa Clara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Clara to Oakland (return trip) · Oakland to San Jose · Oakland to Palo Alto · Oakland to Fremont · Oakland to Walnut Creek · Oakland to San Mateo · Oakland to Hayward · Oakland to Mountain View · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento · Oakland to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	46	66	75	67	55	50	48	47	52	53	56	60	50	42	40	40
Tue	39	48	74	85	74	59	51	48	46	53	54	59	64	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	47	76	82	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	67	59	47	40	40
Thu	39	48	73	82	72	59	52	48	47	54	56	63	67	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	45	54	56	53	49	48	48	49	55	58	63	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	48	48	49	49	51	51	49	45	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	46	66	75	67	55	50	48	47	52	53	56	60	50	42	40	40
Tue	39	48	74	85	74	59	51	48	46	53	54	59	64	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	47	76	82	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	67	59	47	40	40
Thu	39	48	73	82	72	59	52	48	47	54	56	63	67	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	45	54	56	53	49	48	48	49	55	58	63	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	48	48	49	49	51	51	49	45	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	46	66	75	67	55	50	48	47	52	53	56	60	50	42	40	40
Tue	39	48	74	85	74	59	51	48	46	53	54	59	64	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	47	76	82	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	67	59	47	40	40
Thu	39	48	73	82	72	59	52	48	47	54	56	63	67	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	45	54	56	53	49	48	48	49	55	58	63	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	48	48	49	49	51	51	49	45	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	45	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40